Daffodils
by TurnerPendragon
Summary: The daffodils would bloom every day. And every day, she would die more to be one with the story she'd written. One-case story. Naru x Mai. The team has been called to investigate a famous author's mansion, where the ghost seems to be desperate to leave a mark in the house and it's people.
1. Chapter 1

Songfic  
Pairing: Naru x Mai  
Song - 1: The Irony of Choking On A Lifesaver  
Artist - 1: All Time Low  
Song – 2: Leave Out All The Rest  
Artist – 2: Linkin Park  
_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own the songs nor the anime. The lyrics of the song are mainly used as inspiration. Also, there is no relation between real author Rosalie Turner and this story's RT.

**Daffodils**

"We'll take the case," were the words that froze Mai's world. It shocked her that Naru, the epitome of everything serious and important would so easily accept a case so absurd, so emotional without her begging him to do so.

The old man before them thanked them quietly and left, giving the man in black no chance of reconsidering. However, Naru seemed content with what he had said and stood abruptly, earning a surprised look from the girl. He smiled gently – another shock – and returned to his office, saying: "Mai, tea." without any emotion.

"Stupid Naru," she muttered, stomping to the kitchen. Her head was aching from all the confusing emotions the teenager was giving her. Smiling like that, then going all emotionless. Maybe she had imagined that smile? She had thought so countless times, but there was no way her mind would play such evil tricks on her.

Her vision wandered, as she took the kettle and started preparing the water. She took her time. It was not like Naru would decapitate her for doing so. She leaned against the table and yawned, black spots disturbing her sight. When she collapsed, she did not notice.

_Darkness. Within, an orb of light floating. Mai started walking towards it. It grew slowly and when it embraced her, it was warm and comforting._

_"Don't be afraid," she heard a woman say. In front of her, there was a child, staring at her with wide frightened eyes. Only then, she realized she was the woman and the woman was she._

_"Who are you?" the child asked, standing up. His knees were scratched and his face blotchy. Mai could feel herself smile._

_"My name is Eloise," she said gently. "What is yours?"_

_The little boy sniffled and replied quietly: "Eugene. Eugene Smith."_

_"Eugene Smith?" Mai frowned. "It's a beautiful name. What are you doing out alone, Eugene?" She knelt, so they'd be on the same level. Eugene avoided looking at her._

_"I'm dead," he whispered. "So are you. There is no late or early for dead people."_

The whistling of the kettle brought Mai back from the dreamscape. Her insides were filled with content, an inexplainable warmth engulfed her. She didn't want to stand.

"Mai," a cold voice caught her attention. Naru.

She turned her eyes and closed them, seeing him stand at the door. An empty cup was in his hands and she was certain he had come to see what was taking her so long. "I don't pay you to sleep on the job." There. He'd said it. Again.

"Sorry," she muttered, unlike usually. "One moment." She sat up, wincing at the pain in her head. She brought her hand up, but let it drop, when she noticed Naru's peculiar glance. She laughed at herself, playing it off.

"Sorry, Naru-chan," she nervously stood up. Her legs wobbled, as she made it to the stove and took the kettle, nearly dropping it.

"Mai," Naru grabbed her hand. The girl's fingers tightened around the handle and her eyes widened in surprise. There was a dark look in his eyes, which told clearly that he saw through her cheeriness.

"N-Naru," she muttered, cheeks reddening from the embarrassment. "I'm okay."

"Clearly," he dropped. Releasing Mai's hand, he turned away. "Hurry up."

Mai breathed a sigh of relief. She started preparing the tea, when the loud voices of the priestess and the monk reached her. She grinned. These two made the office lively.

She poured the tea out and carrying it on a tray, walked to the room, where Takigawa almost made her drop it by hugging her. "Monk-san!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "I can't breathe!" She put the tray out of the danger zone and she was surprised, when someone took it from her hands.

"How are you, Mai?" she heard John ask and she grinned, when Ayako hit the monk with her purse. Her body was freed from the man's grip.

"I'm fine," she smiled, taking the tray from the blond exorcist. "Thank you for, you know," she nodded towards the cup of tea on the tray. John nodded: "You're welcome." Mai smiled again, before making her way to her boss' office. She placed the cup on Naru's table and waited for a thank you that would never come. However, the man riled her up faster than the speed of light by telling her off.

"Again?" Takigawa laughed, when Mai slammed the door shut. The girl was fuming with anger, earning chuckles from nearly everyone in the room. Even Masako, who had just arrived, had to hide her smile with her kimono sleeve.

Things had changed, when Naru left Japan. Yet when he returned, everything seemed to fall into the same pace as it had been before. As if he had never left them, had never left her.

Mai sighed. "Okay, everyone," she said after a deep breath. "Naru told me to inform you all that he has taken on a new case."

"What's it about?" it was Masako who raised the question. Mai looked at her and sighed, remembering how Naru had teamed up with Masako when they were trying to lure out the ghost in the park. There was no way this couldn't happen again.

"It's a house museum," she said without hesitation. "Rosalie Turner's," she added with a grin. Masako nodded, recognizing the name of a popular science-fiction author who had died a few years ago. She was mainly known for creating the story world "Goizeko Izarra."

"People visiting have encountered many strange phenomena from flickering lights and knocking to physical encounters with the ghost," she continued, as if reciting a poem. "It targets like a cupid." Indeed, there it was – Ayako's wicked smile that hinted about how this was Mai's chance to win Naru's heart. "Yet it seems it has become more forceful about pulling the couples together. The customers of the Pandora's Box are canceling their reservations, so the owner decided to have us check the ghost out."

"If it's a house museum, why do they have reservations?" Ayako asked, earning a soft chuckle from Masako. The red-haired woman glared at her.

"It's because half of Rosalie Turner's mansion has always been used as a hotel," Mai explained.

"It is very prestigious," Masako added, hiding behind her kimono sleeve once again. "You'll feel out of place." Mai snickered at that. Ayako tried hard to suppress her frustration, but it was evident. Takigawa let out a laugh and the woman turned towards him, hitting him hard with her purse. The Monk's laugh was immediately cut short.

"I heard it's very hard to get reservations there," Masako told Mai, who excitedly nodded along. Although no one else in their group knew, both of them were huge fans of Goizeko Izarra and Eugene Strider, the protagonist of the series.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Disclaimer:_**I still own nothing.

**Daffodils**

Part two

9am - Naru was certain he had told Mai to be at the office exactly at 9am. It was nearing 10 already and he was not surprised to see the girl racing towards the van in an explainable hurry. She was nearly an hour late.

"I'm sorry," she panted, coming to a stop in front of the strict man. "I.."

"Save the excuses," he waved it off. "I'm docking your pay. Get in the car."

Mai sighed and went to join Ayako, who said she couldn't join them just this once. Masako's words about the mansion's prestige had made her pack far too many clothes, but Mai couldn't mind. There was little she herself would not have taken along.

She got in the car and took her usual seat, wondering if the case would change something between her team mates. Who would the ghost target? For once, she wished she would be one. It was selfish of her and she shook the thoughts out of her mind.

The weather was awful. The never-ending rain was lulling and soon, she found herself drifting into the dream world again.

"_Gene?" she called, when the darkness set in._

"_Mai," came from behind her and she turned, smile evident on her face._

"_What is going on?" she asked quickly. "Is there anything you know about this case? Is it dangerous?"_

"_Be careful," he smirked like Naru. "And good luck!" With that, the image shifted. Mai turned and took a few steps forward._

_It was the same place she had been before. The indescribable warmth enchanted her. Ghosts who were stuck between life and afterlife were not supposed to be so comforting. This time, she took a moment longer to survey the surroundings._

_It was a small house. There were no decorations on the plain walls and the porch was empty, if it weren't for a rocking chair. It was of simple design and covered in dust. No one seemed to have used it for a while._

_Mai turned again. Now, she was facing the garden. Eugene Smith, younger than Mai had seen him first, was playing in the sandbox. Next to him knelt a young woman. Her hair was tied in a bun and she was smiling softly. "Eugene," she spoke quietly. "What's wrong?" The raven-haired boy was pouting._

"_Nothing," he muttered. He stood up without a warning, dropping his plastic bucket into the sand. He stared lifelessly at it and picked it up, resuming to build a sandcastle._

"_Eugene, I know you're lying," the woman teased him. "You know you can trust Mayumi-neesan." The boy stayed quiet._

"_Mayumi-neesan should keep her nose out of others' business," he said snootily. He stood up again and this time, he trotted away from the sandbox. Mai watched him go, but not before hearing him add almost inaudibly: "I'm afraid the goblins will get to you too."_

Mai awoke with a jolt. She was alone in the car and when she looked out of the window, she noticed the monk carrying equipment. They had arrived quicker than she had thought they would. She unbuckled the seat belt and exited, the warmth from the dream still filling her.

In front of them stood the famous Pandora's Box, the dream mansion of many literates. There was nothing outstanding about it: three floors, an enormous stairway and a number of Victorian windows. She grinned at the western-style castle and was ready to go explore it, when Ayako noticed her slacking off.

"Mai!" she called. "Come help us set up the base. Naru's orders."

The girl grunted, but followed the red-hair. She was happy to see most of the equipment had been already carried inside, but there was still a number of cameras waiting to be taken from the van. She sighed and got to work, hoping the tea-addict would get her away from the tedious job soon.

No such luck. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth when all was done. She had barely had the time to enjoy the interior of the mansion. However, now that Naru was talking to Lin and Ayako and Monk were loudly arguing, she decided to take her chance. She carefully made sure no one noticed her sneaking out of the door and to her surprise, she managed to get away from the base.

The hallway was empty. Pictures of historic figures were hanging on the wall, each of them looking like they were judging her act. She started walking quicker, keen to get out of the place. They had three bedrooms: one for girls, two for the boys. Ayako had found it incredibly unfair, considering there were equally many on both sides, but Naru's decision was final.

On the last painting of the hallway, there was a vase with a bouquet of daffodils. She smiled. At least this one didn't frighten her.

"Mai?" The girl turned on the spot. Masako had exited the girls' bedroom. She looked confused to see her love rival, but at the same time, she was glad.

"Shh, Masako!" Mai put her finger to lips. She pointed at the closed door of their base. "They might hear you." The medium nodded knowingly and started leading them towards the spiral staircase hidden from their sight. She led them down and Mai wondered if she'd been there before.

"I can't sense any spirits," the raven-haired lady said softly. "But I feel like here is something." She didn't ask, if Mai's extra sense told anything, but the girl felt her need to share.

"Me neither," she replied tersely. "I've had two dreams, but I'm not sure they are related to the case. Maybe they're just some weird fan-made stories my brain produces!" She let out a laugh and Masako smiled sternly.

"Have you told Naru?" she asked. Mai shook her head no. "You should." She said no more and Mai was too busy trying to look everywhere at the same time. Wherever she looked, something felt out of place. Like they were being watched, evaluated and judged by a force they could not decipher.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing.**

**Daffodils**

Part three

The duo stopped in front of a portrait.

"I wanted to show you this, before Naru could have the cameras set up here," the black-haired girl told Mai. "It's her."

Mai looked at the painting with approval. The painting depicted a young woman in her twenties. Her honey blond hair fell in elegant curls and she was smiling. Her warm eyes reminded the girl about the feeling she was getting while unconscious.

"Ilazki," she smiled. "It's beautiful."

"They say she based the character on herself," a voice said from behind them. Masako turned, surprised to hear someone other than themselves. Mai simply looked over her shoulder.

"I'm Shinji Kiriyama," the young man introduced himself. He was smiling at the girls, expecting an answer.

"Masako Hara," the brunette said. "And this is Mai Taniyama. We're with the SPR."

The handsome man nodded. Although he looked completely Asian, there were notable traits of his Caucasian relatives. He looked slightly like the woman on the painting.

"Nice to meet you," he said. "I heard some ruckus up there. They might be looking for you." Mai blanched, but Masako remained the same.

"Thank you," she said politely and took her companion's hand. "We'll be on our way then."

"See you around," Shinji replied absentmindedly and took a seat on the red chair, his eyes never leaving the painting.

The girls returned to their room, where Ayako was going bonkers. "Where have you been?" She exclaimed. Masako shrugged.

"We were just exploring the mansion," Mai said. "We were just..."

"Naru is close to madness," Ayako interrupted her. "You better get him tea now or you'll get an earful." She ruffled the girl's hair like the monk would do and hurried her off.

"Mai," as soon as she was out of the room, she was faced with the narcissist. She cursed her luck and blamed it on him. "Tea." She groaned, but followed him to the base.

"I don't know where the kitchen is," she pointed out.

"John," Naru turned to the blond. "Help Takigawa set up the cameras." It was said in a tone that took no objections. The priest who had hoped to join Mai, sighed and motioned the girl to follow.

Mai stopped in the middle of the hallway, because something was gripping her hair. "N-Naru," she said nervously. "I think there's something.." The being tugged her hair and she fell on her bottom. The young man turned and raised an eyebrow.

"I think you should stop fooling around," he said sternly. "First, you go off on her own - "

"I was with Masako!" she interrupted. "And I swear, something pulled me."

Naru offered Mai a hand and pulled her up. His dark eyes were looking into her soul and she remembered Masako's words about her dreams.

"I had a dream in the car," she said suddenly, gripping the man's hand tighter. "There was a woman and this little boy. I think his name was Eugene Smith.. and the woman's name was Mayumi." She grinned, when she was able to recall both names perfectly.

However, their invisible companion didn't like the sound of it and it took hold of Mai's free hand. It was cold and the flickering lights were a warning enough. Naru pulled her forward just in time to save her from staying under the collapsing ceiling. As soon as it started, it came to an end. There was a rumbling above them and soon, a head poked through the broken floor.

"Hey there, you okay?" It was Takigawa. "You better not be doing what I'm thinking you're doing, Naru!" He exclaimed, seeing the two in an embrace. Naru's hands were wrapped around the wide-eyed girl. He was looking as still as ever.

"I'm okay!" Mai called, pushing Naru away. The awkwardness of the situation didn't suit her tastes and although she would have loved to be hugged by her boss, it also hurt her the chances were most likely too little. "Naru pulled me out of the way," she looked at him in appreciation. "Thank you, Naru."

His only reply was: "Mai, tea." The girl stomped towards the direction they were going, the man close behind.

Mai loved being in the kitchen, even if it was for her boss. She worked quickly, but attentively and let Naru look at her while she prepared the drink. His constant gaze felt uncomfortable. Yet still, she wanted him to continue. At least he was in his attention sphere now!

"Here you go," she said, as she finished pouring the drink into the cup. She pushed it towards Naru, who took it wordlessly and sipped it. Mai looked at him with anticipation. There was no thanks. Not that it was something she wasn't already used to.

She reminded him of the manners, earning another scolding for leaving without telling anyone. It riled her up, but when she exited the kitchen in her fury, she couldn't help but smile. Naru was never going to change, was he?

She kept walking until she bumped into someone.

"Mai-san?" she heard a familiar voice. When she looked up, she was surprised to see Shinji there. "Can we talk?" The girl nodded and turned, praying in her mind that Naru had left the kitchen.

She opened the door hesitatingly. Being sure her boss wasn't there, she opened the door wide and entered, pouring herself and Shinji a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry, but I happened to overhear your conversation." He apologized. "It's about my mother," he added as soon as they had sat down. "She absolutely loved daffodils."

"Daffodils?" Mai frowned.

"Yes, daffodils," he repeated. "Or as she called them, the Narcissus flowers."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Author's note: Enjoy!**

**Daffodils**

Part four

Mai bit her lip. The narcissist flowers? Naru's flowers? She didn't understand. Shinji seemed to notice her confusion.

"She had a soft spot for self-centered bastards," he explained. "Guys like your boss."

"Naru's not.." She started, but shut her mouth when the man chuckled. Naru was exactly like he described. "But he hasn't been targeted so far." Shinji frowned.

"He hasn't?" he questioned. "But I was so sure... Come with me!" He stood abruptly and stared at Mai, who shrugged and vacated her chair. There was something about Shinji she could not understand.

He led her through the mansion. Mai tried hard to remember all the twists and turns, stairs leading up and down and lefts and rights, but there were too many to count. They only stopped in front of a shabby door.

"We don't usually let any visitors to the inner garden," he said, taking a silver key from his shirt's front pocket. Mai watched him closely, as he unlocked the way. The door opened with a creak and Shinji entered, Mai following behind.

She stumbled forward and would have fallen, if the young man hadn't caught her in time. "Careful," he teased. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt on the first date." Mai blushed. Shinji straightened himself and let her go, looking over the yellow fields.

Mai's heart thumped. As far as she could see, there were only bright daffodils blooming in the hot sun.

"It's beautiful," she gasped. Shinji smiled.

"She always said there was a reason she loved daffodils," he confessed. "I always assumed it was because they reminded her of my father and his self-centered personality."

"I don't understand," Mai frowned. Shinji chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"It's okay," he said warmly. "Shall we go? I'll take you back to your base."

Panic spread all over her face, as she remembered not telling Naru where she was going. He had probably guessed she would go to the girls' bedroom or base or at least be with one of the teammates, considering her rotten luck.

"To the kitchen," she declared, overcoming the sudden fear, and started stomping towards the direction she thought they had come from.

"Mai," Shinji sounded amused. "The other way."

The girl turned around and changed her course, throwing her hands up in frustration. Her cheeks were flaming from the embarrassment.

It took them little time to reach their destination. Mai hurried to the stove and turned it on, preparing the kettle. However, she walked too fast and tripped. There was nothing to break the fall and she hit her head against the chair. The last thing she heard before losing consciousness was Shinji anxiously calling her name.

_The children's song reached her ears, but it was in English and Mai couldn't understand the words. It's tune was enchanting, calling the passer-bys to look at the singers and she did the same with a small smile._

_There were three of them. Mai recognized Eugene Smith's black hair among the circle of players. With him, there was a blond girl, holding the hands of her playmates, and a boy years younger than the two. The girl's air was long and wavy and when her eyes met Mai's, she noticed they were amber gold. Her voice was the clearest of the trio, mixed with cheerful laughter._

"_Eugene!" a woman called. She sounded angry. Mai turned. Beautiful dress, a straw hat and a brown paper bag with apples. "Eugene! What have I told you about playing with strangers?"_

_Eugene glared at her. The woman froze for a moment, surprised by the intensity of his gaze. "You're not my mother," he blurted. "Besides, we were just telling stories."_

_The image faded._

"You okay?" Shinji's face was terribly close to hers and she shrieked in surprise. The man let out a quiet laugh and withdrew from her personal space. "You scared me, falling like that." Mai smiled meekly. Just as she was about to thank him, the kettle started whistling and she jumped up, ignoring his vivid protests.

"Naru awaits," she grinned. She stared at him curiously. "By the way, have you ever heard the name Eugene Smith?"

"Sorry, no," Shinji scratched the back of his head. "If you give me some time, I might remember though." It was accompanied with a wink, which made blood rush to Mai's face once again.

"You're so funny, Shinji-kun," she giggled, picking up the tray. Shinji opened the door for her and they were in the familiar hallway, him leading her to where she'd first been.

"You know, all these people on those portraits," Shinji interrupted the silence. "Everybody thinks they are either relatives or family friends from my mother's side." He barely glanced at the paintings, as they passed another row of incredible artwork.

"Fun fact, fictional characters meant more to her than anything else," he said, but there was no bitterness in his voice. He sounded peaceful, as if there was more to his words. "All the paintings here depict the bloodlines of her characters, no matter how little part they had in the stories." He smiled softly. "For example, this one," he stopped and pointed to a picture of a man with a bloodied lip and a scar running from the corner of his right eye to the area between his nose and mouth. "Anatoli Johnsson, the rebel king of the South. Never mentioned."

Mai stared in awe at the gory sight in front of her. Anatoli's eyes were cold, but there was something about the way his mouth's left corner was curled upwards in a teasing manner. He was attractive, but terrifying.

"Narcissist," she muttered to herself, but Shinji heard her. He let out a quiet chuckle and opened the door to the devil's lair.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Author's Note: Don't hate me for that, but I personally like Shinji very much, thank you. (On the other hand, he's an OC, so he can be quite a handful to keep in check ;) )**

**Daffodils**

Part five

Mai was unsure if ignoring her entrance was a good or a bad sign, but she was glad not to be the receiving end of his annoyingly smart insults. The man was standing behind Lin, looking at one of the many screens and Mai took the chance. She tiptoed to the couch, occasionally sending nervous glances at him. Shinji followed her wordlessly.

"Mai," Naru's words made her freeze mid-step. She turned to look at the man, who didn't even move a muscle to confirm it was her. "I thought I told you not to goof around."

"Sorry?" she squeaked, her heart nearly jumping out of her cest. She watched Naru turn painfully slowly.

"Please forgive Mai-san," Shinji interrupted, stepping in front of the girl. "It was entirely my fault. I apologize for stealing your lovely assistant's time." He flased a charming smile at the girl, who had moved to stand next to him. Mai blushed profoundly.

Naru' expression didn't change, but for some reason, Mai got the feeling his mood had darkened. "I pay you to work, not to mingle," he said harshly, eyes on her. The girl stared bravely right back at him. He raised an eyebrow, challenging her. Mai gulped, but didn't look away.

"This is Shinji Kiriyama," she said through gritted teeth. "He's our _client,_ the son of Rosalie Turner, who this mansion belongs to."

Shinji stared at the pair, feeling slightly awkward, but amused. It looked like the mischievous little child had angered the loving parent. He hadn't expected Mai to act so unprofessionally with her boss and it made him smile to see he was reacting almost as childishly. Naru didn't even acknowledge Shinji's presence.

"That's the routine," a red-haired woman suddenly appeared next to him. "You're pretty handsome." She touched softly his hand. The man chuckled, pushing it off as gently.

"You're not bad-looking yourself," he grinned. Ayako laughed, breaking the duo's glaring session.

"Mai, tea," her boss snapped and the girl gave him the prepared cup. He took it without a word and although Mai received no thanks, her mood lightened, when he said nothing. That meant no offending remarks.

As Naru returned to watching the screens, Mai popped down to sit next to Houshou, leaving Ayako without a seat. When the woman noticed it, the girl just showed him her tongue and laughed.

"Mai," it was Masako. She was sitting by the table. In her hands was a book Mai immediately recognized. The girl was tempted not to leave her seat, but stood, when Masako raised her head, looking at her sternly. Ayako took the chance and occupied the seat.

"What's up?" Mai asked, kneeling down on the floor next to Masako. The raven-haired girl let the book drop.

"I don't sense anything," she admitted so that only Mai could hear. "Do you?"

"Sometimes," she whispered back. "Like it's watching us. It doesn't want to show itself." Masako nodded.

"I thought so too," she said. She hid herself behind the book again. Mai stared at her lap and fiddled with her fingers.

"Bring it closer," she suddenly heard Naru say. Her head snapped up and saw Lin obeying their boss' words. She stood and walked over.

"What's wrong?" she asked and then spotted it. A painting of a clock was shaking, making rattling sounds. It seemed as if the clock arm was turning by an incredible force, as if it really was not a part of the paint and canvas. The sounds stopped, when the picture fell. Mai was ready to go and inspect it, but her boss's hand caught her wrist.

"You stay put," he stated. "Takigawa." The monk knew what to do, but there was someone faster than him. Shinji Kiriyama, who Naru had earlier ignored, was already on his way. Houshou shrugged and casually strolled out, not expecting to arrive, before the author's son.

Shinji appeared on screen within minutes. He picked it up, winking at the camera, and turned it around, so that the ghost hunting team could see the damage. The clock arm had been sharply removed and the scratches on the painting formed words. "The clock strikes at ten," Naru translated for the sake of Mai, who couldn't understand what was written by the ghost.

"Can you bring it up?" he asked through the microphone. Shinji gave him the thumbs up and started to return.

"Masako, can I borrow your book for a moment?" Mai asked, looking at her. The medium nodded and handed the first book in the series to the girl. Mai flipped it open.

"Here it is," she declared proudly after a few minutes. "Look, Naru!" She shoved the book in his face with a wide grin. At that moment, Shinji entered with Takigawa, holding the ruined painting under his armpit.

"Mai, stop this foolishness," Naru said, closing the book and returning it to Masako. "We don't have time for this." He turned towards Shinji and took the painting from him, inspecting it closely. "It looks like it was the ghost's first intention to carve this sentence," he told Lin.

Mai was fuming. She grabbed the book from Masako's hands and stormed off, hoping to find a place she could peacefully think. She knew Naru meant no harm, but sometimes she wished he would listen more to what she was telling.

She entered a room with cameras, so that she would be noticed, if something bad happened. The fireplace was lit and she sat down on the carpet in front of her and opened the book where it had just been closed by her boss. It was the eight chapter of the first book in the Goizeko Izarra, where Eugene Strider's fate was laid in front of him.

_The clock strikes ten – the flowers bloom._


	6. Chapter 6

Song – 3: Kui tuuled pöörduvad

Artist – 3: Sandra Nurmsalu

Note: This song is one of Estonian candidates for Eurovision Song Contest 2014. If you want the translation of lyrics, I've got them. Just let me know.

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the song nor the anime. **_

**Daffodils**

Part six

The temperature began to fall. Mai shivered, but continued to read. Funnily enough, it calmed her to be in the presence of fictional characters. She wiped a tear, when one of her favorite creatures was stabbed to death at a windmill.

Only when she felt two hands grip her from shoulders, did she realize the coldness was not from the fire going out. She stiffened. The hands moved, grazing the back of her neck. Then she felt it on her face, but it didn't frighten her. Like the ghost was simply getting to know her.

The door opened with a bang and the feeling of cold hands disappeared. "Are you okay?" It was Takigawa, who had come on Naru's orders, when Lin noticed the heat-levels lowering. Mai nodded, still shivering.

"I don't think it meant harm," she whispered. "Besides, it's still not the time.."

"What do you mean, Mai?" He was concerned. Mai stood up and shook her head.

"Never mind. Shall we go back to the base?" She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself up. Houshou nodded and wrapped his arm around her petite shoulders. Mai smiled at it's warmth.

"What's this book about anyway?" he asked, turning all his attention at the small girl.

"This?" She raised the book in her hand. "It's main character is Eugene Strider. You have got to have seen the movies at least!" Houshou shook his head no.

"I haven't had time," he admitted.

"It's about a nomad. But he's not a normal one. He is looking for something, but he doesn't know what, so he tries different jobs. He's a pirate, a ghost hunter, an acrobat... Pretty much everything you can think of! But it all comes with a curse. He's a total narcissist."

"Oh. Sounds like Naru," he stretched. Mai shrugged. The way back seemed longer than it was before.

"You're lost, aren't you?" she teased. "I don't think I've been here before." She looked at the paintings. These were different from the ones she'd seen before and there were no cameras around. They were of different kinds of animals. She recognized storm birds and scorpions and a circus artist walking on a rope between two skyscrapers.

"It's a completely different place," she said. "Houshou!"

The man laughed and scratched his head. "Sorry, Mai," he said with a grin. "This place is too big." Mai nodded in agreement.

The coldness followed. Mai was the first one to feel it, the crawling behind them, the iciness of it's bony fingers. "Bou-san," she said warily. "We're not alone."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Mai?" he didn't feel it. He didn't understand. Mai felt panic grow.

The darkness grabbed her left leg and she cried out, freezing on the spot. At the sound, the coldness retreated. They were alone and it was driving Mai mad. There was no way she was imagining it, was there? After all, Masako too had said she felt nothing in the house.

"Let's hurry up," she said and started walking quicker. The corridor seemed endless, but finally they managed to get to a stairway she'd been on before. It was easy finding the way back to the base now.

Mai returned the book to Masako with a grateful smile. "So, what did you find?" Masako asked her. "What you wanted to show Naru, I mean. I noticed." The medium looked curious, but Mai shook her head.

"It was nothing," she told her. "I'm going to our room." She glanced at her boss, who nodded. Their eyes met and she remembered how the monk had mentioned the similarity between Eugene Strider and Naru. It made her smile a little.

She exited the base – how little time had she spent there on that day? - and made her way to the bedroom. When she opened the door, she gasped. She walked closer to confirm that her eyes weren't betraying her. They weren't. On her pillow laid a single daffodil.

"Mai?" She raised questioningly her head and saw Shinji staring at the doorway.

"Did you.." she started and the man took it as an invitation to step in. Mai nodded towards the flower and picked it up.

"No," the man said. "I would never bring a girl as beautiful as you a single daffodil." He frowned at the sight. "In the language of flowers, giving a single daffodil means upcoming misfortune."

Mai gave a small laugh. "I'm already as unfortunate as to be nearly always targeted," she said in a moment of silence. "A beautiful flower like this can't really make things worse." Shinji shrugged, wrapping her in a hug. Mai's face reddened at the contact.

"I wouldn't be able to handle it, if anything happened to you on my watch," he whispered in her hair. Mai's heart raced. She pushed him gently away, feeling awkward in his embrace. Shinji was reluctant to let her go.

"You know," she said to ease the tension. "I think you would look gorgeous with blond hair." When she realized what she had said, she blushed again. Shinji laughed.

"For you, I would," he said with a wink and walked out, leaving Mai alone with the yellow daffodil. She brought it to her nose and smiled, when the scent was sweeter than she expected. She placed it on the table and went to bed. When she closed her eyes, she saw Naru. It calmed down her reckless heart.

"Of course," she thought. There was no chance there could be anyone else.

_The winds were changing. Mai looked up and saw the kites fluttering around. Next to her sat Gene, who smiled at her. They were sitting in a port and the sun was setting. If she had to guess, it was probably late summer. It was warm enough to be without a jacket._

"_It's out there, you know," Gene told her. "What you guys are looking for."_

"_Out there?" Mai questioned. "You mean the sea?" Gene nodded._

"_Can I give you a little advice?" he asked, turning to face her. Mai found it hard to look away from the glimmering waves, but did so to see Naru's twin's sincerity. She nodded. "I'm not telling you to stay away from Shinji or anything, but my brother's growing rather uncomfortable with you two acting so close."_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I still own nothing.**

**Daffodils**  
_Part seven_

Mai did not want to leave her bed. When she opened her eyes, it was already past ten. The golden rays of sun illuminated the beautiful room and it's numerous patterned rugs. It looked warm and comfortable and she smiled, stretching under the blanket. She really didn't want to leave. Even though in her gut, she felt something wonderful was bound to happen.

It was very quiet. She could not hear Ayako and the monk arguing nor Shinji's loud ringing laughter. She was completely alone, but the door to her room was open. There was a camera facing the room and she smiled, facing it. That explained the lack of sounds. If anything was going to happen, they would know that way.

Mai rose quickly and shut the door, hiding herself from the camera. Then, she got dressed and left for the base, already late.

The sight in the base surprised her. Naru was drinking tea and Lin was casually typing on laptop. Her eyes flickered back to Naru and the cup in his hand. He was talking to a blond man, who looked eerily familiar.

"Shinji?" she questioned, not believing her eyes. The man raised a hand and waved at her.

"Good day, Mai-chan," he greeted her with a smile. "I was just telling Shibuya-san how lovely it would be to take you to see the cliff Rosé." There it was again, his long gaze. Mai looked down at her fidgeting fingers, her eyes darting to her boss in a matter of seconds, then back at her hands. No wonder Naru was in a dark mood.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said nervously. "I'm currently working, so..."

"You can go," her boss said through clenched teeth. Mai bit her lip.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Naru sighed irritatedly.

"I just told you, didn't I?" he looked at her in whole seriousness and saw how her face lit up.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" she exclaimed. For a brief moment, she allowed her restrictions to drop and hugged him tightly.

"Be back by dinner," he said. If one was listening carefully, they would have detected the tiny tone of gentleness in his voice. But Mai wasn't.

"Shall we go then?" Shinji offered. "We could get some breakfast along the way," he added, when her stomach grumbled. She blushed beet red.

"I'll come later, Naru!" she called, exiting the door hand-in-hand with the boy, who had dyed his hair just for her.

She didn't notice Naru clutching a small piece of paper in his fist nor Lin's ever-knowing tiny hint of a smile, as he looked at his young boss frowning. Nor did she see him letting the crumpled note fall to the floor nor the way he stepped on it, as if it would erase the words.

"This way," Shinji led Mai through the hallways. Like all the other corridors, there were paintings on the walls. The girl kept turning her head to look at them, hardly paying attention to where they were going or the sweet smile on the blond's face.

She turned to face the boy and grinned widely. He reached forward and pushed a strand of hair from her face. Mai blushed again, her heart thumping inside her chest. She smiled through her embarrassment.

"You're adorable," he commented, ruffling her hair with his free hand. "Come on!" He started moving again. Mai avoided looking at him.

It was not much later that they reached the exit. Mai was excited to see another famous spot of the story she liked and was nearly jumping from the happiness. He tugged her along, almost as sincerely happy to show her around.

The cliff Rosé was flowery like described in the book. There was a small tea house farther from them. It was old and had not been used in years. It had been there before the mansion had been built. It was surrounded by a field of blooming daffodils. Below the cliff, the sea glimmered. The sea Mai had dreamed of.

"Does this place have any legends?" she immediately inquired, taking a notepad and a pen from her jeans' pocket. Shinji looked at her and shrugged.

"Not that I know," he replied. "As far as I know, this place purely belongs to Eugene Striders." Mai sighed and lowered the notepad.

"Are you sure?" she asked for confirmation.

"I would tell you," he was sincere. Mai smiled and looked up into the sun. Its' warmth felt good on her skin. "I can't believe your boss let you out." He admitted. "I thought it would take a forever to convince him."

Mai tried to hide her soft smile at the mention of Naru. She, too, was surprised that he allowed her to slack off so easily. "He is full of wonders," she grinned.

"If you say so," although Shinji tried to sound nonchalant, it came off a bit rudely. Mai looked at him, but he hid behind a mask of calmness. The wind brushed against them, bringing along an idea. She jumped up and grinned.

"I know what we should do!" she declared. Shinji was willing to do whatever she wanted him to.

They returned to the base with two huge bouquets of daffodils. One of them, Mai gave to Masako, the other to Ayako. Under the watchful eye of Naru, they were allowed to keep one of the bouquets at the base and the other in their bedroom. On Mai's bed, as she found out, there was another daffodil. More beautiful than the day before.

She returned to her room without dinner, unsure why she wanted to be alone. However, there was a knock on her door and she opened it.

"Naru," she said surprised and looked down, flustered. He leaned on the door frame and simply looked at her. There was something in his eyes that she could not describe.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I still own nothing.** Apologizes for being caught up with school stuff.

**Daffodils**

Part eight

"Mai," he said gently, releasing the hold on the door. He stumbled, knees weak, and Mai hurried forward, calling his name. His normally pale face was flushed and he seemed to be hanging on the last scraps of balance with the almost non-existent dignity so unusual of him. When she was close enough, he almost smiled reaching out to her.

"Are you okay?" She pushed his hand away and touched his forehead. It was burning. "You have to lie down."

Her hand was instantly slapped away, as she grabbed his to lead him into the chilly room. "I'm okay," he whispered with a raspy voice, his face leaning closer to hers. His hot breath tingled on her skin and she backed away, red-faced.

"Please," he then begged, collapsing on his knees. Hands down, he stared on the floor, panting. Mai knelt next to him, worried about his strange actions. She heard his quiet sobs.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked gently, touching his shoulder. Naru reacted by tackling her in a hug, surprising her. She hit her hand against a chair and her heart did not quiet down. She felt like she was going to break.

Then she detected it. The faint smell seeping in from the cracks in floor and walls. The eerie glint in the teenager's eyes. Within the few days, she had become strongly familiar with the stories of them both. She closed her eyes and breathed calmly.

The daffodils. She could almost see them, the flowers opening their blossoms. They were everywhere. In Naru's eyes, in the dusty air around them. Inside them both. Burning, purifying them.

"Naru," she said sternly. "Come to your senses already!" Her fluttery heart showed no signs of acknowledging the fact this was not real. It was still competing in a race that was impossible to win. Perhaps it was the beating of her own heart or the fresh intoxicating smell, which put her out, but soon enough, she was with Eugene, the only one who seemed to understand what was going on.

_He smirked like his brother, before pointing her towards a ball of light on her left. She nodded and started walking towards it, letting the memories swallow her whole. Fragments of history came back to her, as if she had known them for all time._

_The snowflakes fell in an elegant fashion, dancing in the cold air. In the middle of the graveyard was a woman dressed in a dark cloak. She breathed out through her mouth and watched the water vaporize into nothingness. Somehow, Mai knew it was the day before New Year. Roza Bismarck had been executed, yet something ominous still hung in the air. The world stood still and in the stillness, this woman wept._

_She moved not. Dressed in royal red, she was the only person out of the comfort of a safe and warm home. It had not been a merry Christmas, merry anything, although few in the village would admit to it. She, too, would deny it, should anyone ask her. Roza and she had never been particularly close, exchanging pleasantries only when necessary. That is, hardly ever._

_She picked the sleeping baby from the gravestone. No one was supposed to know it was her who had been with Roza during her last night in that shabby cell, who Roza had hugged close and spilled all her secrets to. Yet she herself knew and there was no changing that. The beauty of the world – and the horror._

_She rested her lips on the child's forehead. No one was supposed to know Simba Bismarck lived._

"Roza Bismarck," were the first words she said, after returning to the real world. Naru was still there, above her, and as she uttered the name, the eerie glint died out with the scent of daffodils. That's when she realized she could be the only one to sort the story out.

She poked her boss's head to make sure he was alive and when he said sternly her name, she grinned.

"Glad to see you up and working," she teased, as his eyes looked all over her. His cheeks returned to their normal color and he stood up. Straightening up his clothes, he avoided looking at her.

"What happened?" he asked in his stoic voice.

"Nothing, Naru-chan!" she piped cheerfully, getting up. "Well, if you'd excuse me, I'll be going now.." She laughed nervously and prepared to exit.

"Mai," he wasn't buying her carefree act.

"It's playing with us," she trembled. "Everything is there, in the books. Eugene Strider, Roza Bismarck.. the daffodils."

He turned to look at her. "Daffodils?" he frowned. Mai nodded.

"The clock strikes ten – the flowers bloom," she whispered with a blush. "It means ten flowers. Ten daffodils."

"I know," he replied calmly. "What are you trying to say?"

She breathed in deeply in order not to lash out on him. Whatever Gene had been trying to say, it suddenly was lost in her mind. She paused for a moment.

"I forgot," she then declared, remembering the other name. It was not like telling Naru would change that bit. She had to figure it out on her own – after all, this was something from a storybook Naru would never read. The boy sighed, sensing her lie, and stood closer.

"When you remember, tell me," he said, ruffling her hair. Mai froze at the contact with his warm hand. When he stepped away, she could detect sadness on his face.

_He's cracking,_ Gene's voice echoed in her head and she wondered if he heard it too. If he did, Naru showed no signs of letting her know.

"One more thing, Mai," he added, his voice returning to normal, as she turned to leave. The girl looked curiously up. "Tea."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I still own nothing.. But I'm thinking about writing another Naru x Mai story. I'll let you know if it will become a reality. Until then, enjoy this.**

**Daffodils**

Part nine

"I believe in you." The words rang in her ears and she nearly dropped the tray she was carrying. A gust of wind passed her and she turned, curious.

"Who's there?" She called out. In reply, there was receding laughter. Mai sighed and delivered the drink, hoping to get it out of her way as soon as possible. After receiving her first thank you ever from the boss, she took out her notepad and a pen and began writing down everything she thought was correct.

_Firstly, Shinji Kiriyama is Simba Bismarck._

_Secondly, the daffodils in her room were left by the already mentioned man._

She raised the pen's back to her lips and bit it, unsure, if that was really all she knew. Hesitatingly, she added the third point.

_Thirdly, Eugene Strider is based on Naru.._

But how did a woman like Rosalie Turner know of Naru? Another mystery. She felt like modern day Sherlock Holmes, trying to make the connection. And why was the ghost so not like a ghost? What was tying it to the earthly world?

She crossed her legs and leaned forward, thinking about it some more, tapping the pen against her chin. It was certainly difficult to comprehend.

"_Thank you."_ Naru's earlier words ran through her mind, coloring her cheeks a wonderful shade of red. She shook her head and placed her cold hands over her face, trying to lessen the heat. Her heart fluttered.

"This is so wrong," she muttered. When Naru had told her the miracle words, she had slowly backed away and escaped, squeaking a "You're welcome" to him. Although it was charming of her boss to be so kind once, she came to the conclusion it was too abnormal for her to completely like it. This house was driving her mad.

Meanwhile, Naru was feeling as flustered. Although his calm exterior was still in put, he was glad that in this moment of loneliness, no one could even catch a hint of his inner struggles.

Well, except for _one_.

"Ne, ne, Naru-chan," a young woman was bouncing around the room. "Have you told her? Have you? Have you?"

"You talk like a parrot," he muttered, not raising his eyes from the empty cup of tea. Miss Turner frowned. If she were alive, she would hit him. Hard.

The girl straightened herself and floated to be in front of him. "I heard she likes the story. That's why you brought her here with you, didn't you? To tell her." She put her face almost against his. "You're so cute, Naru-chan!"

"I came, because our deal is complete," he said, finally looking up. The ghost halted, surprised to get a reaction so soon. "Your story has even become one of the most loved all over the world. You have fulfilled your reason of staying behind. You're free to go now. Yet you haven't crossed."

Once, years ago, he had come here to exorcise a violent spirit, only to find out the spirit in itself wasn't violent, but releasing it's pent-up frustration in a rather inconvenient way for the house and it's people. He remembered as if it had been only yesterday.

"_You can see me," the blond lady stated, hands crossed over her chest. "Don't try and deny it."_

"_I won't," he promised, curious to find out where she was going with the talk._

"_Also, if you try and get me out of here, I will never forgive you," she added, before extending her ghostly hand. "I'm Rosalie, Rosalie Turner." He had known her name before, known everything possible about her. "Oh, come on. Shake it!" She whined, when he didn't accept her hand. Reluctantly, he shook it._

"_I need a favor from you," she continued with a tiny smile. "I promise not to do anything bad, as long as you fulfill it. My reason for not having died properly."_

"_What is it?" When it came to scientific matters, Rosalie Turner had died because of leukemia. _

"_I have always wanted to be an author," she sighed heavily, drying a fake-tear. "I even had a story planned out and everything. I want you to write it down for me."_

Back then, he didn't know this story would be so long and take years to have it completely written. Naru had bought the house from its' owners, who were more than happy to sell it, and he'd helped the ghostwriter. All the money Rosalie Turner's books earned went to creating the castle and buying the materials for painting. No one else knew, but all the paintings were the ghost's creations.

"She's absolutely perfect!" Rosalie exclaimed. "She's so smart she can probably figure it out on her own. Is that what you're planning? To let her figure it out on her own?"

"I fulfilled my part of the deal," he said, ignoring her comment about Mai. "You haven't. Care to tell me why?"

Rosalie pouted. "But, Naru!" She whined childishly. When he didn't react, she sighed.

"Well, I can't," she admitted. "I feel like I owe you something. Because you did so much for me." She fidgeted with her fingers. "How about I paint her for you? You like her." She kept musing and floated away, leaving a flabbergasted Naru behind. His cheeks were tinted the slightest bit of red.

"Mai!" He called, trying to calm his nerves. The girl peeked through the door, hiding her notepad. "Tea."

She slammed the door shut and hurried off, unaware of the cheery ghost following her. "She's really pretty," Rosalie thought to herself, a wicked smile coming to her face. _Oh, yes, that would be more than enough to make Naru appreciate the time he spent writing the novels with her._

"Hang in there, Mai-chan!" She called out to her. "Sister Rosalie is going to make everything okay."

With a loud and a slightly scary cackle, she flew off to her secret room of paints and canvases. Mai froze and turned, but there was nothing she could sense or see. Rosalie had already left.


End file.
